Woman charged after alleged stolen ute crashes into loungeroom at Kangaroo Point

A witness has described the incredible moment a brave neighbour clung to the top of his ute as a woman allegedly drove the vehicle and smashed it into two neighbouring houses.

A woman has appeared in court after she allegedly ploughed into a stranger’s lounge room just moments after stealing a resident’s ute from the same apartment complex.

The woman, Kaitlin Shambrook, 24, has been charged after police allege she broke into a Kangaroo Point unit complex and stole a white Toyota HiLux about 12.30am.

According to officers, a man who lived at the Elliott St unit complex heard the vehicle start and ran outside before he jumped into the tray of the ute in an attempt to prevent it from being stolen.

A stolen HiLux crashed through 19-year-old Teiah Millar's lounge room wall at Kangaroo Point. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“The male resident managed to jump from the rear of the ute and avoid serious injury,” a police statement said.

It is alleged Shambrook then drove the vehicle back and forth before she ploughed through the loungeroom of a bottom storey unit at the same building the ute was allegedly stolen from.

Damage caused by the stolen HiLux after it crashes into a second home. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Police allege she was able to reverse the car out of the lounge room before driving to nearby Thomas St where she allegedly crashed the stolen vehicle into a vacant building.

Police allege she fled the area on foot before they located her shortly afterwards at the corner of Main and Pearson streets in Kangaroo Point, still allegedly in possession of property stolen from the unit.

Shambrook has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter dwelling with intent by break, stealing and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, driving unlicensed (disqualified) burglary and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.

The aftermath in Kangaroo Point.

Teiah Millar was upstairs sleeping at the time the ute ploughed through the bottom storey of the home she shares with two other female uni students.

“We were very scared,” 19-year-old Miss Millar said.

“We had just woken up and had heard it and had no idea what to expect. Then came downstairs and saw a huge hole and a big mess.”

She said her neighbour, Kyle Day, was brave enough to jump in the back of the ute, allegedly stolen from his house just moments earlier.

Mr Day said he hadn’t thought about what he was doing when he made the bold move to try stop his car getting away.

“I just woke up in the lounge room with the front door wide open and heard my car start,” Mr Day said.

“I ran out and tried to get into my car and it was locked, so I just jumped in the back of the ute thinking they wouldn’t take off with someone in the back.

“But then yeah, (the ute) took off, then went through the house.”

Kaitlin Shambrook, 24, has been charged after police allege she broke into a Kangaroo Point unit complex and stole a white Toyota HiLux about 12.30am.

Mr Day clung to the top of the ute as the woman allegedly driving his vehicle smashed into two neighbouring houses, including through Miss Millar’s lounge room.

He said when he realised the driver wasn’t going to stop he made the decision to jump off the back of the tray to safety, scared the woman would keep driving onto the main road.

“It wasn’t until we got to the bitumen that I decided to jump off the ute,” Mr Day said.

“I thought they weren’t going to stop so I need to get off the back of the ute before they get onto the main road.”

Mr Day said his car only had third party insurance and he would now have to pay for repairs or a new vehicle.

Miss Millar and her housemates, who study at the Queensland University of Technology, were not allowed to go upstairs in their house due to concerns over structural integrity.

Miss Millar said the home, which was recently renovated with new floors and freshly painted walls, is due to be completely repaired within the coming weeks, however a makeshift wall was being installed today to make the house livable.

Following the drama, Miss Millar was hoping to get an extension for her university assignments due in a few days.

Teiah Millar surveys the damage caused by a stolen HiLux. Picture: Liam Kidston.

A disheveled Shambrook appeared in the Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court this afternoon via video from the Brisbane Watchhouse.

The police prosecutor said a warrant had been issued after she failed to appear in court and she was arrested this morning and charged with 10 offences relating to the burglary and dangerous driving in Kangaroo Point.

He recommended Shambrook, who had her eyes closed for much of the proceeding, stay in custody.

Legal Aid told the court they had only just been advised of the matter and were not in a position to deal with it today.

Magistrate Stephen Courtney remanded her in custody and adjourned the matter to June 9.